Around the IP Blogs

The JIPLP blog published an authors’ take on the protection of traditional art forms under geographical indications law in India. While the EU is exploring the possibility of introducing GI protection for non-agricultural products, handicrafts are already protected under the Indian GI law. The authors analyse whether the current Indian GI legislation protect the right and interests of the artists, producing such handicrafts. Also, if reading a GI-related post inspired you to write your own GI piece, be sure to consult the call for articles for the JIPLP’s special issue on geographical indications, announced earlier in the JIPLP blog. 

The copyright issues behind posting a picture on Instagram are once again in the spotlight of the US judges. The Fashion Law Blog reported on a lawsuit against the car-manufacturer Volvo, which used a third party’s pictures, featuring a Volvo car, in its advertising campaign. While the right holder considers such use a copyright infringement, Volvo argues that reposting a picture, publicly shared on Instagram, is not an infringement, because as the author of the picture granted Volvo an implied non-exclusive license by sharing the picture and tagging Volvo. 

Kluwer Patent Blog published a plea for more user friendliness at the EPO, kindly suggesting that the EPO should inform the parties to oral proceedings before the Boards of Appeal regarding changes of venue and time, so that the parties do not find themselves in the wrong building half an hour before the proceedings start. 

The IPWatchDog prepared a guide for determining whether a mark is functioning as a trade mark under the US law. Questions addressed in the post include the use of trade marks as slogans; their use on product packaging as attention-getting symbols; the distinctiveness of the typeface used in the trade mark; and the frequency with which a trade mark Is used. 

IPTango, our cousin blog, published an interview with Juan Cichero, Head of Brand Protection at Mercado Libre (MILE). Juan talked about the MILE’s Brand Protection Program, a tool for brand owners, which they can use to detect infringing content online.

The SpicyIP Blog announced two calls: a call for papers for a research project on “The Philosophy and Law Information Regulation in India” and a call for applications for a modest research project for teachers of IPR.